Device, system and computer program product for retrieving information

• US 7,533,083 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sato, Yuji, Aoki, Kazuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tim T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morrison; Jay A
• Application Number:
  US11/217,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An information-retrieval system is provided with a schedule storing system that stores schedule information regarding a schedule of a user, a service information storing system that stores pieces of service information respectively corresponding to types of services; and a searching system that searches the pieces of service information for at least one piece of matched information of the pieces of service information matching the schedule information of the user.

Claims

1. An information-retrieval system comprising:

memory having computer executable components stored thereon; and

one or more computers containing processors configured to execute the components, the components including;

a schedule storing system configured to store schedule information regarding a schedule of a user, wherein the schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of the schedule;

a service information storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of service information respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of services, wherein each of the plurality of pieces of service information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding service;

a searching system configured to search the plurality of pieces of service information for at least one piece of matched information of the plurality of pieces of service information matching the schedule information of the user by comparing the date, the type and the place of the schedule with the date, the type and the place of each of the plurality of types of services, respectively;

a personal information storing system configured to store personal information of the user, wherein at least one keyword is related to the personal information;

each of the plurality of pieces of service information includes a keyword regarding a corresponding service;

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the schedule matches one of the plurality of pieces of service information, and the at least one keyword of the personal information matches the keyword of the one of the plurality of pieces of service information, the searching system is configured to treat the one of the plurality of pieces of service information as the at least one piece of matched information; and

a registering system configured to register the schedule information of the user,

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves one or more pieces of service information matching the user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the user'"'"'s schedule information

wherein the components further include an outputting system configured to output information obtained based on the at least one piece of matched information,

further comprising an information input and output device including;

computer readable components stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors;

the components including

an inputting system configured to receive a user input of the schedule information;

an information requesting system configured to request the searching system to start a searching operation at a predetermined time;

an information receiving system configured to receive the information outputted by the outputting system;

a received data storing system configured to store the information received by the information receiving system;

an image forming system configured to form an image on a recording medium based on the information stored by the received data storing system; and

a displaying system configured to display an image based on the information stored by the received data storing system.

2. An information-retrieval system, comprising:

memory having computer executable components stored thereon; and

one or more computers containing processors configured to execute the components, the components including;

a schedule storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users, wherein the schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of the schedule;

a service information storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of service information respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of services, each of the plurality of pieces of service information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding service;

a searching system configured to search the plurality of pieces of service information for at least a piece of matched information matching one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information by comparing the date, the type and the place of the schedule with the date, the type and the place of each of the plurality of types of services, respectively;

a personal information storing system configured to store personal information of the user, wherein at least one keyword is related to the personal information;

each of the plurality of pieces of service information includes a keyword regarding a corresponding service;

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the schedule matches one of the plurality of pieces of service information, and the at least one keyword of the personal information matches the keyword of the one of the plurality of pieces of service information, the searching system is configured to treat the one of the plurality of pieces of service information as the at least one piece of matched information, and

a registering system configured to register the schedule information of the user,

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves one or more pieces of service information matching a first user'"'"'s schedule information in response to registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information, and

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information without the first user having to identify the at least a second user.

3. An information-retrieval system, comprising:

memory having computer executable components stored thereon; and

one or more computers containing processors configured to execute the components, the components including;

a schedule storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users;

a personal information storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of personal information respectively corresponding to the plurality of users,

a searching system configured to search the plurality of pieces of schedule information to obtain at least one piece of matched information of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matching a first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users; and

a registering system configured to register one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information inputted by the user through use of an inputting system in the schedule information storing system;

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information without the first user having to identify the at least a second user,

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of personal information includes human connection information specifying at least one related user; and

the searching system is configured to search a part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to the at least one related user specified in the human connection information of the first user to obtain the at least one piece of matched information matching the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user,

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding schedule;

at least one keyword is related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information; and

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.

4. The information-retrieval system according to claim 3, wherein the components further include an outputting system configured to output information obtained based on the at least one piece of matched information.

5. The information-retrieval system according to claim 4, wherein:

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches a second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.

6. The information-retrieval system according to claim 5, wherein:

the at least one related user specified in the human connection information is classified according to the type of the corresponding schedule; and

the part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information to be searched by the searching system is limited by the at least one related user classified according to the type of the corresponding schedule of the first user.

7. The information-retrieval system according to claim 5, wherein:

the at least one keyword related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information is classified according to the type of a corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information;

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword classified according to the type of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword classified according to the type of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.

8. The information-retrieval system according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes publication information defining permission or inhibition of publication thereof; and

the searching system is configured to search the plurality of pieces of schedule information having the publication information being defined as permitting the publication to obtain the at least one piece of matched information.

9. An information-retrieval system, comprising:

memory having computer executable components stored thereon; and

one or more computers containing processors configured to execute the components, the components including;

a schedule storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users;

a personal information storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of personal information respectively corresponding to the plurality of users,

a searching system configured to search the plurality of pieces of schedule information to obtain at least one piece of matched information of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matching a first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users; and

a registering system configured to register one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information inputted by the user through use of an inputting system in the schedule information storing system;

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information,

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of personal information includes human connection information specifying at least one related user; and

the searching system is configured to search a part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to the at least one related user specified in the human connection information of the first user to obtain the at least one piece of matched information matching the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user.

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding schedule;

at least one keyword is related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information; and

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.

wherein the components further include an outputting system configured to output information obtained based on the at least one piece of matched information,

wherein information-retrieval system comprises an information input and output device including;

computer readable components stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors, the components including

an inputting system configured to allow one of the plurality of users to input or update one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and one of the plurality of pieces of personal information;

the registering system further configured to register one of the plurality of pieces of personal information inputted by the user through use of the inputting system in and the personal information storing system;

an information requesting system configured to request the searching system to start a searching operation at a predetermined time;

an information receiving system configured to receive the information outputted by the outputting system;

a received data storing system configured to store the information received by the information receiving system;

an image forming system configured to form an image on a recording medium based on the information stored by the received data storing system; and

a displaying system configured to display an image based on the information stored by the received data storing system.

10. The information-retrieval system according to claim 9, wherein the information requesting system requests the searching system to start the searching operation when the one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information is inputted or updated by a corresponding user and the inputted or updated one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information is registered in the schedule information storing system.

11. The information-retrieval system according to claim 9, wherein the information outputted by the outputting system is a notification that the at least one piece of matched information is searched.

12. The information-retrieval system according to claim 9, wherein the received data storing system relates the information received by the information receiving system to a corresponding one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information.

13. The information-retrieval system according to claim 9, wherein:

each of the plurality of personal information includes information as to whether to automatically start an image forming operation; and

when first one of the plurality of pieces of personal information corresponding to the first user includes the information indicating that the image forming operation should be executed automatically, the image forming system is configured to form the image automatically.

14. The information-retrieval system according to claim 9, wherein the components of the information input and output device further include a transferring system configured to transfer the information stored by the received data storing system to a destination device.

15. A device used in association with the information-retrieval system including memory having computer executable components stored thereon;

and

one or more processors configured to execute the components, the components including;

a schedule storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users;

a searching system configured to search the plurality of pieces of schedule information to obtain at least one piece of matched information of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matching a first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users;

an outputting system configured to output information obtained based on the at least one piece of matched information; and

a personal information storing system configured to store a plurality of pieces of personal information respectively corresponding to the plurality of users,

wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of personal information includes human connection information specifying at least one related user; and

the one or more processors are configured to search a part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to the at least one related user specified in the human connection information of the first user to obtain the at least one piece of matched information matching the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user;

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding schedule;

at least one keyword is related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information; and

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information;

the device comprising;

memory storing computer readable components executable by the one or more processors, the components including

an inputting system configured to allow one of the plurality of users to input or update one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and one of the plurality of pieces of personal information;

an inputted information registering system configured to register one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and one of the plurality of pieces of personal information inputted by the user through use of the inputting system in the schedule information storing system and the personal information storing system, respectively;

wherein the information retrieval system retrieves at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information;

an information requesting system configured to request the searching system to start a searching operation at a predetermined time;

an information receiving system configured to receive the information outputted by the outputting system;

a received data storing system configured to store the information received by the information receiving system;

an image forming system configured to form an image on a recording medium based on the information stored by the received data storing system; and

a displaying system configured to display an image based on the information stored by the received data storing system.

16. One or more computer readable storage media having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users;

storing a plurality of pieces of personal information respectively corresponding to the plurality of users,

searching the plurality of pieces of schedule information to obtain at least one matched information of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matching a first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users; and

registering at least one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information;

providing the user with the at least one matched information corresponding to at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information without the first user having to identify the at least a second user,

wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of personal information includes human connection information specifying at least one related user; and

the searching system is configured to search a part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to the at least one related user specified in the human connection information of the first user to obtain the at least one piece of matched information matching the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user,

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding schedule;

at least one keyword is related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information; and

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.

17. A method of retrieving information, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of pieces of schedule information respectively corresponding to schedules of a plurality of users;

storing a plurality of pieces of personal information respectively corresponding to the plurality of users,

searching the plurality of pieces of schedule information to obtain at least one matched information of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matching a first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a first user of the plurality of users; and

registering at least one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information;

providing the user with the at least one matched information corresponding to at least a second user'"'"'s schedule information matching the first user'"'"'s schedule information by registering the first user'"'"'s schedule information without the first user having to identify the at least a second user,

wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of personal information includes human connection information specifying at least one related user; and

the searching system is configured to search a part of the plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to the at least one related user specified in the human connection information of the first user to obtain the at least one piece of matched information matching the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user,

further wherein;

each of the plurality of pieces of schedule information includes a date, a type and a place of a corresponding schedule;

at least one keyword is related to each of the plurality of pieces of personal information; and

when at least one of the date, the type and the place of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information belonging to the first user matches the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, and the at least one keyword of the first one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information matches the at least one keyword of the second one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information, then the searching system is configured to treat the second one as the at least one piece of matched information.